Martial Power Programme

Our conceptual research aims to shape and influence UK defence and security policy reviews in 2025 and beyond, primarily through the prism of military and political-military analysis.




Martial power is a key concept intrinsic to the evolution of military thinking in the UK. RUSI has chosen this term to widen and render more robust the analytical framework within which the changing utility of force in the modern world, and the UK military’s envisaged and feasible roles, are examined.

We are developing an evidence base to inform policy and decision-making processes on a rolling five-year basis. Our research blends analysis of contemporary conflict with evolving military theory, disruptive thinking and technology to test orthodoxies and presumptions, with the aim of enhancing the global conversation about military force.

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Research areas


View the key research areas covered by the Martial Power Programme.

Programme sponsors

  • Lockheed Martin

    Lockheed Martin supports the Martial Power Programme.


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